Winter Reflections
by Catoni15
Summary: Daisuke ponders his relationships, his life, and where he may be headed. OneShot DaisukexSatoshi COMPLETE


Hello there…well, it's been a while since I've submitted anything to the website. So, I thought I should write this. Nah, I just wrote thing because I wanted to. Who am I kidding:)

Anyway, this is my first D.N. Angel fanfic and I'm not sure how it will turn out. I'm just sort of winging it. It's almost eleven at night and I'm bored.

Ah, the side effects of boredom!

Enjoy!

**Type:** One-shot, possible Romance, maybe a little Humor

**Pairing:** Daisuke x Satoshi (some Daisuke x Riku in the beginning)

**Reason:** Because I want to. ;)

**Warnings:** Um, none, unless you happen to be homophobic. If you are, stay away. Don't bother reading this. I will **not** tolerate pointless flames. They **will** be deleted.

**>>>Winter Reflections>>>>**

"Slow…and silent…the snow keeps falling…"

-Daisuke Niwa

Snow…an odd thing, it is. Its hue is that of the purest white, making one believe it an innocent thing in appearance. Most things we associate with goodness and virtue are linked with such a color. It's untainted, untouched, spotless, and clean in its natural form. The frost is crisp in that way. Sparkling with crystal moisture, glinting and glimmering. Such a thing as beautiful as that would make any admire it for its very attractiveness.

And yet it had its opposite meaning. The other side of the coin.

In many stories, snow and winters symbolized Death. The chilling ice, the biting cold and frost that kills so many in fairy tales. Whenever horrid occurrences happened, they usually did so during the winter. Snow brought frigid suffering to those incapable of properly protecting themselves against it. Such could turn from an innocent, gentle snowfall to a raging storm in no time at all. Blizzards stole away lives and encased unfortunate men and women within frozen tombs, prisoners of the unrelenting cold. Terrifying torrents, storms with hail big enough to pound a vehicle—possible a building—to virtually the edge of its existence, everything frightening and unattractive about snow.

How quickly it could turn.

As with many things, Daisuke Niwa mused to himself grimly.

It wasn't necessarily within his character to be so pessimistic. He wasn't that kind of person. But given the circumstances as of late, he feared he could not help it. This particular train of thought was becoming more and more frequent with Daisuke and he found himself disturbed. How dramatically his life had changed!

He could remember a time when things were so much simpler than this. A time when all he had to worry about was getting his homework in on time, behaving, as he should, keeping up with his friendships, and all the other responsibilities of a fourteen-year-old boy. Besides the constant training drills when he arrived home from school everyday, his life was pretty much as normal as any other youth's. He had a family that loved him, friends who cared for him, and a place to call his own. He was safe and sound.

Then Risa Harada had to go and reject him the day Daisuke gathered the courage to admit his feelings for her. It had been a rather crushing blow to the lad's heart. He found himself feeling defeated and beaten. All hopes of winning the girl of his affections flew out the window. Life seemed grim in an average teen my-life-is-over-now sort of way. Then _it_ happened.

He transformed into the Phantom Thief Dark Mousy.

It hurt, Daisuke remembered wincing, the very first time it burned through his system like he was on fire. His insides felt like they were going to melt. The flame raged so hotly then! Before he knew it he was in a form not his own, looking upon a visage of a stranger and walking about in clothes that fit him perfectly only moments before. If that weren't bad enough his mother, Emiko, dumped the family secret right into his lap. The Niwas were a family of art thieves and have been for four hundred years. Saying all of this as though it were _nothing!_ Then, just like that, his own mother was nudging him out the door and sending him away to steal priceless artwork as though it were a walk in the park. It's that way now as it was then. Of course, some of those pieces, as Daisuke had learned the hard way, were more powerful and potent than they appeared. As if that made stealing them any easier.

Then there was still the matter of Risa and her twin sister, Riku Harada. Over time Daisuke came to realize that his feelings did not lie with Risa and, instead, laid with Riku. All the times he found himself staring at the older sister, catching himself mid-glance and blushing, they should have all been tell tale signs. But, of course, being Daisuke, those never became obvious to him. He was clumsy enough when it came to matters of the heart and throwing more into the situation only complicated things. The boy hated feeling like such a dunce in matters like that. Then again, he was not a Don Juan like his counter part.

Dark did not make things any easier for Daisuke. If anything, he only served to complicate his life. The feisty art thief could not stay still for a minute if his life depended on it. He lived for the spotlight and thrived—quite literally—on attention. If it were up to him, the two would be out all night, every night doing nothing other than stealing incredibly expensive and ancient works, and romancing girls left and right. That was another thing Daisuke did not particularly like about Dark; it was as though he craved the swooning attention of women. Every time he went about being suave it embarrassed the poor boy. He would be sitting there in the subconscious zone, red in the face blushing like there was no tomorrow. Just thinking about it now made the heat rise in his cheeks.

_'Ack! What am I doing?'_ Daisuke admonished himself_, 'I came out here to relax! Not brood.'_

The red headed youth leaned back against the bench he sat on and sighed. Despite the thick gloves he wore to protect his hands against the chill, they still felt frigid and he shoved them into his pockets. The oversized sweater he donned—thick in material to serve the same purpose as the gloves—laid formless upon his body. It displayed a simple enough design with one section of the front being a deep orange. The rest of it was red and the pants were the same way. The winter cap that rested upon his spiky tresses matched the rest of the attire. It laid on his head, tilting to the side as it always seemed to, incapable of staying on him straight. Blowing out an irritated breath, he rose a hand from the comfort of the warm pocket to straighten it out. When the cap refused to stay atop his head and his hand became numb, he gave up and retreated back into the pocket.

Daisuke himself was not the only one of them that was affected by the chill. Slumbering deep within him only to be disturbed was Dark himself, shuddering out of a peaceful sleep. He sat up in his confined zone and shook with the frigidity that invaded his space. With a powerful mental slap, the infamous art thief made a face and pouted.

"What was that for?" the boy rang out as he regained his composure from the blow, straightening himself out.

_**'What are you doing sitting out here? It's freezing! Can't you find somewhere warmer to sit and be angsty in.'**_

"I am _not_ being angsty!"

_**'Please…I can hear and see everything you think. You're being whiny because your life isn't going the way you want it to.'**_

Daisuke sniffled and rubbed at his already red nose, "I'm not being whiny. I'm just thinking, that's all. Can't I think in peace without _you_ interfering?"

_**'It's a little difficult when we're one and the same. We share pretty much everything, remember?'**_

And how that brought a painful twinge to his heart. Yes, it seemed as though they _did_ share many things. And girls apparently seemed a part of that. The relationship between Dark, Risa, Riku, and himself had been very confusing. Oh, it was pretty clear cut at first with Daisuke wanting Risa and Dark showing interest in Riku. Simple enough when the two drew boundaries on what was theirs. But then the entire situation did a complete twist on him. Before he knew what was going on he found himself with Riku in his arms, thinking of her in a way that had not been there before, catching glimpses of her more and more. And Dark…Dark kissing Risa in the folds of the night after one of their jobs. Stealing from her the touch and words he, Daisuke, had longed to hear from her. But they weren't for him, oh no. They were meant for the ears of the Phantom Thief, the gorgeous older man of her dreams. The ever suave, ever dashing, ever mysterious stealer of hearts.

Everything Daisuke could never be.

Of course, things had calmed down for the time being. Riku and Daisuke had vowed to work on their relationship after the boy admitted his feelings for her. Promised one another to take it one step at a time, find a way to make it work. This kind of partnership, this teamwork, felt good to Daisuke. It was nice knowing that there was someone willing to work with him on something important. Facing things alone was terrifying, even for him. Every time they held hands, it strengthened their bond, tied their souls tighter together. And when he looked into Riku's eyes, he could see all the love and adoration she had held in for a long time. Their closeness would bring wonderful warmth.

Until now.

Daisuke was afraid to admit something that had occurred to him only a short time ago. A revelation revealed to him something he was loath to come to terms with and accept. His relationship with the older Harada was starting to fall apart. The bliss he felt at the beginning was fading more and more with each passing day. The bond was not as sturdy as it had been before. Yes, he enjoyed the girl's company and being with her whenever he could. Daisuke could say that at least. But the love…the love he felt was dwindling. He could not understand, could not comprehend. It frightened him when the thought first occurred to him, in those words.

Daisuke remembered back to the outing he was having with Riku just a few days before:

_The feather soft flakes fell about the two adolescents, brushing against their cheeks as though in gentle caress. Pale, icy petals swirling and dancing about as though in play, performing for the lovers. The wind carrying with it a soothing song filled with love, jubilation, and bliss. Crystal filled their visions as they surveyed the city blanketed in crisp snow. Glittering and gleaming like so many priceless gems. Catching light and glinting a hundred fold. The buildings about them settled into the land like contented observers, serene and peaceful onlookers to the side. Watching over them rather than spying maliciously into their intimate moment. People moved about them and off to their own business, paying little to no mind to the two. They moved on at their own pace, equally oblivious to anyone else, hand in hand snow crunching beneath their boots._

"I feel like I'm in a winter wonderland," Riku whispered, looking about the city, "It's just so…beautiful."

"It does," Daisuke agreed gently.

He thought as much about her, too. Her cheeks were rosy from the cold, but not unattractively so. They made her face glow and her eyes gleam. Those light chocolate pools shimmered with a life Daisuke didn't think any one person was capable of. He watched longer as a tender breeze drifted in as though unseen hands played with her shoulder length brunette tresses. She rose a slim hand to keep the winter cap steady on her head, as the wind was being a bit too playful in the matter. Her oversized coat and pants fluttered about on her body, whose frame was apparently too small for the attire. To Daisuke, she seemed like a fairy amongst the snowy setting.

Such a romantic thought made him blush terribly. Riku caught sight of this.

"Is something wrong, Daisuke?"

"Ah, no nothing. Nothing at all…"

The girl leaned in with an almost wicked smile, "Then why are you **blushing**?"

The red headed youth nearly stumbled backwards, "I'm not blushing! It's just the cold," he proceeded to rub his cheeks roughly, turning away from her.

"You're such a dork sometimes, Daisuke."

For a moment the boy thought she was serious until he turned and caught her amused expression. His matched hers in no time at all.

"I guess so. Just the way I am."

Riku leaned against a nearby building, eyes drifting out of focus looking to someplace only in her mind, "…And I like you…just like that…"

As Daisuke blinked in slight surprise it was Riku's turn to turn red. She snapped back to attention after a moment or so and shook her head. Her laugh was nervous and her expression awkward, "Oh, what am I going on about? Listen to me going on and on. I think Risa is starting to rub off on me…"

"Maybe. You're twins, after all," her companion commented as he watched her rub her cheeks with her palm in vain.

Riku stopped mid-way and stared at him hard, "Look, just because Risa and I are twins doesn't mean that we're the same! We're different. **Very** different."

"Sorry."

At the pained wincing in Daisuke's voice and demeanor, the girl sharply looked up. Oh, she hadn't meant to hurt him at all. And maybe she had been a little harsh a second ago. But she hated—hated it—when people tried to treat her and Risa as a single package. They weren't clones, she thought bitterly. They were two separate entities and had their own personalities, their own lives. But surely this was not Daisuke's fault. He merely made a harmless comment and meant nothing nasty by it. Riku could not help it. This was just the way she reacted to that.

"I'm sorry, Daisuke," she murmured softly as she moved toward the boy and wrapped her arms around him, "I didn't mean to snap at you."

He returned her embrace, "Ah, no. I shouldn't have said that. I should've known it would irritate you."

"Daisuke," Riku narrowed her eyes, "For once accept that someone else besides you is wrong, okay? It's not always your fault. You don't always have to be blaming yourself."

"Whatever you say, Riku," he smiled crookedly.

She sweatdropped, "Daisuke…"

The moment was becoming progressively less comical and more serious. Riku was leaning into him more and more and he found himself clutching her tighter. The world about them was at peace and so were their hearts. The two were in a universe all their own and nothing outside of it could harm them. Their love for one another kept them close and it felt as though this adoration would only grow as time went on. The warmth Daisuke was becoming so familiar with grew in both his touch and in his spirit. The chill ceased to have any effect on either of the youths. They were settled in a wonderful dome of beauty and happiness.

Then, it began to fade.

The heat, the warmth, the magic…it was fading away. It startled Daisuke at first, made him jerk involuntarily. A chill began to enter his being, drove away the fire of jubilation. The cold hands of ice cruelly scraped away that which his love with Riku had created. It was sucked out, forced, torn out so fast and yet so painfully. While his companion remained oblivious to the ordeal tears stung his ruby eyes. Where was it going? Why was it leaving him? What was happening? Daisuke stared as far down at Riku as he could without disturbing her. Didn't she feel it? The absence of the light? The fading of the warmth? Riku? Riku? Couldn't she feel it? What was wrong? What was this?

In his urgency, Daisuke gripped her tighter in a frenzied attempt to recapture the kindle, the awe. But it wasn't there, was nowhere to be found. He tightened his hold further. Where did it go?

"Dai-Daisuke…" Riku rasped out, pushing against his chest, "You're…hurting me…!"

The sound of her voice and re-establishment of his sanity snapped him back to reality. Without meaning to Daisuke virtually flung the dark haired girl away from him. He watched in quiet horror as Riku stumbled away clumsily and into the wall of a nearby building. She didn't hit it too hard, he thought to himself with relief, so she was all right. But the look she threw him as she turned to face him was not as reassuring.

"**Daisuke!**" the girl seethed, "What's the **matter** with you?" tears fell down her cheeks.

"I-I.." the red haired boy stepped back, "I-I didn't mean to, Riku, I-" words failed him, "I'm sorry Riku!" then, he took off.

"Daisuke! **Daisuke!**"

He couldn't hear her. Nothing could be heard but the horrid pounding of his own heart, the blood rushing to his head, and his own pained choking.

The wind picked up speed, it seemed. Flakes of snow that felt so gentle before slapped him cruelly in the face as he dashed away fled like a coward from the girl he loved but ended up hurting.

Freezing gusts howled in his ears like a threat.

Even now, even after thinking about it for hours on end, Daisuke could still make no sense of the situation. It seemed to happen so…_suddenly_. But it was terrifying, that much he could remember clearly enough. He was scared the second he felt that absence of warmth and the entrance of the merciless chill. The fear still lingered in his heart and ached when he thought on it. Instinctively, he brought a gentle hand to his chest, tried vainly to soothe the anguish within. Maybe it was not as complicated as he made it to be, the boy mused to himself. Sure, his and Riku's relationship looked perfect enough on the outside, but there was something wrong. Something…_missing._ Something Daisuke needed more than even he himself realized. Something he had to obtain regardless of the consequences. There was one thing he had needed from Riku that he knew she may never give.

Knowledge and acceptance of his counterpart.

Daisuke knew well enough how much she loathed Dark. He had played as her "pervert" for sometime now. How could he blame her? Anything Dark did hardly pleased her and whenever he happened to mention the Phantom Thief's name it ruined her mood. She'd always turn sour and she'd be very difficult to talk to for a while. So how would Riku feel if she found out the boy she loved was also the guy she hated more than anything else? How could she bring herself to love someone like _that?_ And worse, if she knew that Daisuke had deliberately kept it a secret from her how angry would she be _then?_ Riku had spoken constantly of trust in their relationship. If it was to work then they would need to be honest and open with one another. No secrets. No surprises.

Unfortunately, that was something he couldn't fulfill.

There was no way Riku could fully be in love with him unless she found it in her heart to love Dark as well. If she could not do this, then there was no way she could love him fully and completely. It would only go halfway. And, in order for the curse to be lifted, he'd need it to go _all_ the way.

Who could love him _and_ Dark both? Women loved Dark because of who he was. But most of them could never bring themselves to love _him_ because of how clumsy and awkward he was. He found a girl who loved him but could never bring herself to even _like_ Dark, not even a little bit. It was hopeless.

"Why me?" Daisuke moaned and rubbed his face with his gloved hands.

"We all have our lots in life," a voice replied plainly from behind.

The red haired youth stiffened and nearly jumped a mile when he saw Satoshi seated on a bench attached to his from behind. The blue haired boy merely sat there, calm, doing what appeared to be reading a book. He sat reclined in an oddly relaxed position, legs crossed. The beige coat he wore was apparent by the sleeve of the left arm draped lazily over the back of the bench. A thin, red scarf was wrapped about his neck more for a sense of style rather than practicality. When Daisuke gathered the nerve to move a little closer, he noted the matching pants and black boots.

He took a step back, _'What is Satoshi doing out here?'_

The lad voiced his question aloud.

"Just passing through the city," Satoshi answered neutrally, "Research, investigations, crime related work."

"Ah, yeah. Crime related." _'Commander Hiwatari.'_

Daisuke did not know what to make of the situation. Satoshi would not harm him, he was certain of that. As long as he was himself and not Dark there was no reason to fear being in his presence. But something about the other boy always kept him on edge. There was always the possibility that Satoshi could change his mind, all for the good of justice and his family duty. If Dark ever became a big enough danger to people then Daisuke was sure there would be nothing stopping Satoshi from capturing him. He vividly remembered the taller boy emerging from the forest during their class trip. After that mess with Dark and the mirror Satoshi had trapped him in. He had come offering Daisuke a way to help his counterpart. Then he had grabbed him, he remembered. Clutched both of Daisuke's wrists tightly in his hands, saying how easy it would be to capture him like that. How it would be so simple to do it this way. But he didn't. That wasn't what Satoshi wanted and Daisuke knew it. He and the other boy have become good friends and neither wanted to hurt the other. It made things so much harder.

With a sigh and nothing else to do, Daisuke flopped back onto the bench and leaned back. Silence reigned until the older boy spoke once more from behind.

"I heard there was a problem with the older Harada twin."

The younger winced visibly and rubbed the back of his head, "Uh, yeah. That was my fault. I…I didn't mean to hurt her. Honest. Something just…came over me."

Satoshi listened carefully to the strained pain in Daisuke's voice. He didn't sense anything physically wrong with the red head but there _was_ something off about his behavior. A shift in his personality. It was subtle enough to go unnoticed by most but it did not slip past Satoshi's keen senses. What it was and what was causing it, he had no idea. He planned to get to the bottom of it, though. Satoshi didn't like seeing Daisuke suffering. How could he? This boy was one of the few who bothered to really reach out to him. Even with their opposing sides and rivalries due to filial duty and destiny. There was no doubt that there would be much tumult with them both if they attempted to become closer. This is why Satoshi opted to remain at his distance, far away enough to avoid becoming _too_ attached. But the bond was there, no matter how much he tried to deny it. He would stay close enough to keep an eye on him but far enough to evade bonding.

The consequences of their attachment would be too great. Krad would resurface and harm Daisuke once more.

_'__Krad.'_ Daisuke stewed bitterly in his own thoughts.

He knew well enough why Satoshi kept his distance. It was for Daisuke's safety. He was keeping his well being in mind when he stayed away. It had to be painful, he thought to himself, horrible to distance one's self from those who could potentially love them. Didn't Satoshi want friends? People to be there for him when the burden became too much? To take the weight off his shoulder when he could no longer take it? Daisuke would be nowhere without _his_ friends. Imagine the life Satoshi must live with and the anguish he has to put up with.

"When you think about it," Daisuke began without actually considering what he was saying, "You and I are in the same boat, really."

Satoshi rose a brow but did not turn from his book. He listened on.

"We both have to deal with curses in our families. Have to put up with counterparts we don't necessarily understand or want,"—did he just say that about Dark?—"They make our lives a little harder than they need to be. Our lives were normal before all of this…right?" Daisuke turned, not sure he should be speaking for the other boy on that last count.

All he got as a response to that was the snapping close of the book. The smaller youth watched as the other rose slowly, staying still for a moment or so. Then, he turned, those icy blue eyes locking onto his own warm red ones. They seemed like such opposites, Daisuke thought to himself. Everything about Satoshi and his demeanor suggested coolness and chill. Daisuke seemed to brim with warmth and it showed on many occasions. But they sat there, staring at one another silently as the wind blew threw. Daisuke's bright ruby locks swayed in time with Satoshi's pale sapphire ones. The world seemed to fall quiet about them. It felt as though moving would shatter the slightly eerie serenity around them.

Then, there was movement.

Much like before in the forest, Satoshi grabbed a hold of Daisuke's wrists. Panic ripped through the younger boy even as he heard the thump of Satoshi's book falling to the ground, and memories of then came back to him. He remembered the subtle terror that he felt at the knowledge of Satoshi being able to capture him, the desperation in the other's eyes, the urgency in his voice. A Satoshi he had never seen stood before him then pleading, in his own way, to Daisuke. For what, exactly? An answer? Peace? An end? It had made his head awfully dizzy and he wanted to faint. He remembered the twinges of pain that Satoshi caused with his grip.

Now Daisuke seemed to face the same dilemma now.

The smaller boy dared not move. He was afraid that even the tiniest wrong gesture would set the other off. It was hard to tell with Satoshi, sometimes. There would be no answers from his face; he always hid what he truly felt well. But his eyes…they were deep now. Pools so deep he could have drowned in them. Half-mesmerized by their beauty, half-afraid of how deep it really went. How far could he plunge before he lost hold of himself? Satoshi himself was dangerous ground.

_'Oh…what is he doing?'_ Daisuke thought frantically as Satoshi continued to study his hands,_ 'Man…'_ his hands began trembling under his touch. He couldn't make it stop.

Daisuke thought frantically as Satoshi continued to study his hands, his hands began trembling under his touch. He couldn't make it stop. 

At first the taller boy's grip had been rough and excruciating as though something made him frantic. But he calmed over the course of a few minutes, softened his hold. His eyes, which assumed a clouded look, seemed to regain some semblance of sanity. Satoshi appeared more thoughtful than anything else now. Slowly, gingerly, he shifted his grip from Daisuke's wrists to his hands. The bulky gloves he wore made the smaller's hands seem bigger than his own. There was a flicker of annoyance at the sight of them. Satoshi, still ever silent, proceeded to remove the gloves. He slid them off languidly even as Daisuke made a small sound of protest. The red head's hand jerked in his hold, but relaxed as he still trusted Satoshi. There wasn't suspicion, merely uncertainty and curiosity. He had both gloves off in no time and dropped them carelessly onto the snowy ground. Now the blue haired youth cupped the other's hands in his own, free to feel them fully. His face remained passive.

Daisuke had no idea what this was all about. The moment just got weirder and weirder as time went on. What was the motive behind this? What was Satoshi trying to accomplish? It made no sense. Did he do something wrong? Say something that may have struck a nerve? He couldn't figure it out. The whole thing spooked him and made him feel positively jittery. Yet…he could not bring himself to pull away. There was something in the way Satoshi carried out what he was doing that struck him as gentle, kind. The ginger way in which he cupped Daisuke's hands, the tenderness in his movements, softness of his expression that flickered from beneath the stoic mask. The brilliant sheen of those blue, blue eyes from behind those large lenses. It was…_captivating_.

"Satoshi…" Daisuke's face was flushed, cheeks rosy.

Warmth…that's what it was. What he felt when Satoshi touched him was warmth. That same feeling he had tried vainly to recapture when he lost it with Riku. The same quiet glow that flooded his heart and soul, made him feel wonderful and alive. A…bond.

Then, just as the heat had returned to Daisuke it left soon after.

Satoshi let his own hands fall as he let go of Daisuke's. There seemed to be regret and sorrow cracking from underneath the mask he wore. An anguish unlike any other, a pain incapable of being properly captured with words. The sapphire haired youth worked hard to quash the feelings, however, and soon he was as perfect on the outside as he struggled to be daily. His emotionless visage returned fully and he was about as lifeless as always.

Daisuke's heart fell.

"Drawing toward one another would be suicide for us both," Satoshi turned away, "You know the danger as I do, Daisuke."

"Because of Krad," the red head agreed, "I know. But…I wish it didn't have to be this way. We could be really good friends."

_'And more.'_ Daisuke found himself thinking before he could stop the thought.

"It's our lots in life," the taller said once more and bent down to pick up the book he carelessly dropped, "We can't always help where we are."

"But I don't think it has to be like this! There shouldn't be any reason why we _can't_ be friends! Krad, couldn't we just…I mean…"

"It's not that simple."

"But there _must_ be a way!" Daisuke cried moving closer, "We can't keep doing this! It's hurting us both, Satoshi. You don't want to keep your distance from people because it hurts. Don't you want a friend, Satoshi? Someone to be there with you? How can anyone stand being so _alone?_ I don't care about Krad!" he declared defiantly, throwing the blue haired boy off guard, "I'll stick by you! That's what friends are for, right? We can beat this thing with Krad together. I want to be to—"

"Be careful what you say, Daisuke," Satoshi warned seriously, gravely, "It's bad enough Krad sees you as a threat while you intended us to be _friends._ Now you're asking for more than either of us need."

"But—"

"Leave it be, Daisuke."

Satoshi turned and walked away. As he did this Daisuke watched him all the while. Even after such an emotional conversation the older boy still managed to hold on to his composure. On the outside, maybe, but the inside was a completely different story. Who knows what he could be feeling within? It must be a mess in there.

_'Really big mess,'_ Daisuke sighed ruefully.

_**'You're going to get us in trouble, Idiot,'**_ the familiar voiced berated.

"Still listening in, I see."

_**'Wish I couldn't. That's…unpleasant,'**_ there was an internal shudder from Dark_, '**Two guys? This is getting creepy.'**_

"It's none of your business, really," the boy's voice chilled to an unusual low degree.

**'Whatever. Let's just go back to the house. It's freezing!'**

Daisuke huffed a breath of annoyance as he bent down to recover the gloves from the ground. As he took them into his hand he stopped, vaguely remembering the heat of the moment. He could still feel it lingering there and, gently, he lifted it to his cheek, closed his eyes. It had been a peaceful period, he reflected. It brought him joy and…_happiness_. Then images of Satoshi's face and expression flooded into his mind, his softness and tenderness. It invaded his every thought as he grudgingly replaced the gloves back onto his hands. A serene smile appeared in the youth's face.

Until Dark got annoyed with all the mental pictures and feelings that came with them and gave Daisuke the hardest mind slap the boy had ever felt. The red head fell over and was greeted with an unpleasant face of an irritated Dark.

**'Don't…do…that…**again!'

Laughing, Daisuke rose to his feet and began his trek home. The snow floated tenderly about him, brushing against his cheeks as though in silent promise of what could be.

_I won't give up on you, Satoshi. _

_I promise. _

_>>>>>>_

_Wow…that was **way** longer than I had intended. But then again, I did say I was winging it. Hoped y'all liked it. Not much of a plot but something for me to do. Remember, this was the first D.N. Angel fanfic I've ever written. It's probably not all that good. Any information I got regarding characters and story are **strictly from the manga.** Please **REVIEW**__ this and make me a happy gal. I'd very much appreciate it._


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